Chapter: Perspective

As the quote says on the homepage, “We are the authors of our own stories. Perspective is one of the most important chapters we can write, revisit, and build on.”

It was several years ago when I started thinking about lessons I had learned in life, and all that was involved in learning those lessons. That’s when I realized life really read like chapters in a book. “Learning How to Say No” to taking on more commitments (even things that I considered important) was another important chapter in my life; however, “Perspective” has been one of the most central to my journey, and it’s one that I revisit often.

It’s easy to allow perspective to color our worldview. After all, our past experiences often shape how we react and interact. We sometimes view an experience as better or worse than it was because over the years our mind makes space for more memories, and those memories sometimes weave into our experiences from the past. And then there are the times that we can use perspective to guide us to better decisions, and in turn, hopefully better experiences. Hindsight is 20/20, as the saying goes. Of course it would be great to have known then what we know now, but that isn’t how life works (unless you have the ability to time travel or predict the future).

While it’s easy to dwell on the past, to feel stuck in the present, or to catastrophize about the future, it’s a lot better to be present, to revisit the past as needed, and to hope for the future.

I am a firm believer that perspective is an incredibly powerful tool. When drawing from perspective to guide us, it’s important to balance our emotional reactions with a rational approach. By finding balance, we’re approaching a situation more mindfully. Ultimately, that’s how Mindful Perspective™ came about.